Dark Hearts Reign
by asdfjklxtiffany
Summary: Sora has become the Ruler of the Dark Realm and it's up to Kairi and Riku to save him. Can they forget their past differences and pull together to save the boy they love? Rewritten and reposted! parings: major soxkai, slight soxnami
1. Opening

AN - This story takes place before KH2, and no, I didn't plan on continuing it into KH2. This is my version of the second game.

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Kingdom Hearts: Dark Hearts Reign

OPENING

Fate...  
Such a strong word...  
But, those four letters speak the truth of everything.  
Everything that has happened, or that is going to happen.  
It's all because of that simple word.  
Their world, shaded in the darkness, away from fear.  
Their hearts torn in all directions.  
One lost in the vast grayness of the forgotten world...  
One simply at home...  
And one wandering, in search of himself...  
But all are alone.  
Or, at least it feels that way.  
What is going to happen?  
Or the better question,  
What has happened...


	2. The One, The Only, Keyblade Master

Dark Hearts Reign

Chapter ONE: The One, The Only, Keyblade Master

Riku stood, wearing a dark and enigmatic cloak. Two keyblades appeared in his hands as an ominous voice echoed around him. "To truly be a hero, you must sense the heartless. You shall be blinded until you defeat them." He stole two quick glances at the keyblades in his hands. The Oblivion, and the Kingdom Key. He waited patiently as the heartless surrounded him. Suddenly, he swung the blades, gracefully destroying all of the heartless. But they reappeared.

He sensed the tall buildings around him, and quickly scaled the wall of the nearest one. He smiled smugly as he swung his blades and took out a whole row of heartless at once. But Riku never donned that smile, it was claimed by Sora. He stood atop the building and surveyed the surrounding area. What was this place? Why was he here? Suddenly he felt Sora inside of him. The next thing he knew, he was seeing Sora run up the side of the building.

"What?" Riku asked as the keyblades vanished from his hands. Sora was running. He had Oblivion in his left hand, and Oathkeeper in his right. He was running, faster, and faster, knocking heartless out of the way with unreal ease and precision. He tossed a keyblade to Riku. The blonde could feel it. He dove off of the building and caught Oblivion in his hand. He sidestepped Sora and pierced a heartless that was looming over the burnet. It was so unreal. What was happening? "Sora!" Riku shouted. Sora kept rising into the endless black sky. But Riku was falling...

***

He rested gently on the ground and stared at the starry night sky. What a horrible time to see Sora, especially in the cold rain that plagued this world. Still, Riku had to marvel at Sora's newfound power. Sora's power had grown to be so vast it was absurd, if not a little alarming. Riku realized that Sora had surpassed him, and had maybe even outdone the King.

***

Sora stood overlooking the dark, murky ocean. This was the world in which he was meant to inhabit. The World That Never Was, a world between worlds. Sora continued to stare at the horizon longingly. He wasn't happy anymore. His world, his Kairi, they were gone. His friends were nowhere to be found.

Eventually, he stood. The dark black cloak he wore stirred, even though there was no wind. Sora started walking down the beach, gazing aimlessly at the horizon. His hair was swept backwards, but again there was no breeze.

_Sora _could feel it, though. The light breeze from the Destiny Islands. He missed it so much. Suddenly, he found he just couldn't take it anymore. The clouds darkened even more. The black ocean's surface was unearthly calm. The air around him was stagnant, and everything was so depressing. Tears threatened his eyes, but he never let them fall. He wasn't weak. He wouldn't cry for her. He wouldn't cry for anyone.

Rain filled the sky again, and Sora sighed. This wasn't helping his mood. He tried desperately to ignore it, but the cold drops kept hitting him in the face. Sighing heavily, he pulled up his hood.

"Stupid rain," he mumbled, keeping his pace. Then he saw her. Naminé. She waved and smiled at him, like always. Sora would ignore her, as always. This was the extent of their relationship.

"Sora! Sora wait!" she called after him. Naminé had never spoken to him before, but her voice seemed so familiar. He decided it was best to continue ignoring her. Acting like she hadn't noticed, she sped up, silently falling into step with him. "Hi Sora," she said glumly.

"Hey," he replied, shielding his eyes from the rain.

"Um, there's something Luka wanted me to tell you... But," she started. He glanced at her as she continued gazing straight ahead. Sora admired her for this. Her ability to hide her emotions so boldly.

"Go on." he said impatiently.

"Well, this is hard for me to tell you, but Riku only has one more day to save you. If he fails, you'll be stuck here forever," she explained softly. Sora's heart skipped a beat. He vaguely wondered what it would feel like when it finally stopped for good. "And since we're talking about saving people, if Riku does make it… Sora, will you take me with you?" she asked meekly.

"Why?" he asked, giving her a quick sideways glance. She was still staring into the horizon. "I always thought you liked it here... What's with the sudden change of heart?"

"I hate it here," she said dismally. Sora sighed, and nodded. He knew she was right. Things could get very boring here, with no one else to talk to. "Promise?" her gaze left the horizon and lingered on the side of his face.

"Promise," he agreed.

"Thank you," she let out a long held breath. Sora's lips twitched upward, but he forced himself to keep a straight face. He wouldn't smile. He couldn't smile. She turned around and waved him farewell as she disappeared through the ever-thickening fog.

Sighing again, he continued on his way down the beach.

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AN - There you go! First chapter's up! Now be good readers and tell me exactly what you think! Also, if you have any questions at all, just ask! I'll answer them when I post the next chapter.


	3. The Beginning To A Hopeless End

Disclaimer: I don't own Kingdom Hearts.

AN: In case you get confused in this chapter; Luka is sort of like one of the members of Organization XIII that you never see. I wrote this story before the second game came out, so I didn't know any real names of the organization members, and like I said, this is _my_ version of the game. Luka _looks_ like Axel, but he acts different. I'm not quite sure about this yet, but I think you'll figure it out.

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Dark Hearts Reign

Chapter TWO: The Beginning to a Hopeless End

Riku ran down the flooded street, carelessly swinging his keyblade around, knocking heartless out of the way left and right. The building forebodingly crept into his view, looming perilously in front of him. Behind the building, an immeasurable dark ocean stretched out and disappeared into the horizon. His heart sank to his stomach as he realized that the ocean was part of Kingdom Hearts. The World That Never Was connected the real world to Kingdom Hearts.

Seeing that the doors refused to open for him, he plunged his keyblade through the awning, and flipped himself over it. Ignoring the pain that shot through his shoulder, he ducked his head and ran up the building. He suddenly realized he was doing the very same thing Sora had done earlier. Ignoring the sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach, he slashed a path through the heartless and before he knew it, he was standing on top of the building.

He jumped off, and landed gracefully on the sandy beach.

Sora stood in front of him, wearing a long black cloak. A beautiful blonde girl in a short white dress stood just behind him, slightly to his left. To his right, he saw a blonde version of Sora. The brunet gave Riku a dispirited smile, as the tears finally fell.

"Bye," he murmured, vanishing through a portal that the blonde Sora had conjured. The girl dropped her gaze to the ground, and vanished too. The blonde shot Riku a malevolent glare and followed them, leaving a very confused and heartbroken Riku to think up another plan.

Sora sat on a bed in the middle of a cyan blue room. The velvet comforter, pillowcases, sheets, and carpet reminded him of Kairi's eyes. He cried for what seemed like an eternity, with nothing to comfort him but the haunting sound of her laughter. Finally, he slipped into unconsciousness.

Naminé and Roxas stood just outside of the room. They couldn't look at each other; their eyes were glued to the ground in overwhelming guilt. He'd been so close to freedom, and they'd shown up only seconds before Riku had, condemning Sora to a fate worse than death. The echoing sounds of his inconsolable cries were crystal clear to the two teens guarding the door.

Just because they were destined to serve under Luka didn't mean Sora should have to. Finally, his voice died away, and they felt it was safe enough to enter. Naminé pushed the door open, standing in the shadows while Roxas crept past her. Sora was dead to the world, obviously exhausted. He gave Naminé the signal, and she walked over. Sitting next to Sora, she pressed her palm to his forehead and closed her eyes.

Roxas watched in awe as Sora's face twisted in anguish as Naminé temporarily hid his memories. She'd clandestinely refused to remove them. The only person who knew what she was doing was Roxas, Sora's guard. Luka had requested Sora have a guard on him at all times, along with Naminé to keep an eye on his memory. Nodding to show she'd finished, Roxas helped her back out into the hallway. He shut the lights off and closed the door.

***

Sora awoke in an unfamiliar bed. He glanced out the window and was caught up in watching the dark clouds float by. After ten minutes, the door creaked open. His eyes shot to it, watching in apprehension as a small familiar blonde girl walked in, holding a tray of food.

"Hi," she said gently, kicking the side of the bed with her foot. A table lifted out as she set the tray on it. Sora eyed the food cautiously. "You can eat that you know, it's not poisoned," she added, with a small laugh. Sora gave her a wary smile and picked up the fork, shoveling food into his mouth. Naminé chuckled again, sitting on the edge of the bed. "Do you like your room?" she asked. He paused, and nodded. "Good. Do you remember your name?" she waited patiently as he swallowed and took a big gulp of water.

"Sora?" he asked uncertainly. She nodded her head and smiled.

"Do you remember where you're from?" she asked. He shook his head. "You were born in this world; you don't remember what it's called?" He shook his head again. "This is The World That Never Was. Can remember that?" she asked. He nodded, shoving more food in. "Do you remember my name?" she asked.

"Naminé," he said confidently.

"Great!" she exclaimed. "Hey come here!" she yelled to no one in particular. Roxas walked in, raising an eyebrow. She motioned for him to stand next to her. "Do you remember him?" she asked, pointing to Roxas. Sora shook his head. "Sora, this is Roxas. He's your guard, not that you'll need him," she said, waving for Roxas to leave. He walked away, muttering in annoyance.

"Thanks for wasting another thirty seconds of my life." he snapped, shutting the door. Naminé watched him leave with a small smirk on her face. She turned back to Sora and continued to ask him questions.

"Ok, do you remember King Mickey?" she asked. Sora shook his head. "King Mickey is the ruler of the realm of the light. Luka is the ruler of this world, he'll be helping you. You were chosen to become the ruler of the realm of the dark. Ok?" she explained carefully.

"Whatever," he mumbled. Luka had warned her about Sora's impassive attitude. She swallowed her pride and forced a smile. She stood and began to exit the room.

She paused and said, "I'll be back in thirty minutes to take you to Luka. You need to start planning as soon as possible." And with that she closed the door behind her.

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AN - Ok ok, boring chapter, I know! But it picks up soon I promise! Now leave me lots of reviews, and let me know if anything was unclear. I accept flames!


	4. Fading Memories

Disclaimer: I don't own Kingdom Hearts.

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Dark Hearts Reign

Chapter THREE: Fading Memories

"What? Where am I?" Kairi yelped, searching the area around her frantically. The dark, heavy rain clouds were closing in on her from all directions. The fog was thickening, almost like it was attempting to suffocate her, and suddenly, it disappeared. "Riku? Sora? Anyone!" she yelled. Stars began to fall, casting eerie shadows all around her. "A meteor shower?" she asked herself. Plummeting down from the sky, they slammed violently against the sand. Kairi fell to her knees and looked up.

"My daughter, how could I have lost you?" Kairi shook her head and rubbed her eyes. A figure stood in front of her, kneeling down and extending a hand to her. Suddenly, the ground shook. The sand beneath her turned to concrete, and she felt the rain pouring down on her back like a thousand tiny needles.

"Kairi, you can't be here! Not now, go home!" she recognized that voice. She shook in fear as she tried to stand up. Riku's soft hair brushed lightly across his face as he knelt down. "This isn't our world. You have to run, and don't ever stop," he whispered. Suddenly he stood. "Now go. They're coming!" he commanded, swinging his keyblade over his shoulder and walking down the rainy street.

She felt the wet breeze across her face, as her world transformed once more. The concrete turned to sand in her fingers, and she could hear sounds reverberate around her. Sighing, she forced herself to stand. A cloaked figure stood in the mist. And in that instant, she knew she'd found him.

"Sora," she whispered. He turned around to face her. Kairi gasped as she almost fell, but braced herself on a nearby rock. His face was dreary and evil looking.

"Kairi help me. They're taking my heart, I need you!" he pleaded. She shook her head, horrified.

"I can't, I can't give you my heart," she whispered, backing away uneasily. Sora smiled coldly.

"Naminé was right then. You're letting me fade away because you've forgotten everything," he accused.

As a tear rolled down her cheek, she whispered, "Oh Sora, I haven't forgotten."

"But you have... You have. And you're the only one who can save me..." suddenly, he snapped out of his depression and vanished. The background faded, and now Kairi was looking at another cloaked figure. She stood, cowering from the looming man before her.

"It's too late. The worlds have fallen apart. You can't piece them together like you did the last time. They're shattered, and among them are the pieces of you beloved's heart. And it's too late to save him. Sora's heart has fallen into the eternal void of darkness, and soon enough, Riku will join him. No one can stop it. Not even the fierce and mighty King Mickey. And once again, as you were when your world as a child was destroyed, you will be alone. And that, my love, is your fate," the figure warned, and with that, he disappeared through the portal.

***

Kairi stood on the beach, wondering why she was once again in the same position. After two years, her hair had grown long and silky. It followed the swift ocean breeze, and she closed her eyes as it lifted every strand from her back. She walked across the shoreline, pressing each foot firmly against the damp sand.

"Ow!" she exclaimed. She knelt down to the ground and examined the object she had stepped on. Small tears started to trace their way down her cheeks. She held a small silver ring in her delicate hand. She closed her eyes as she recalled the memory.

_"Sora, come on! Riku wants us to go swimming with him!" Kairi shouted, her small voice echoing down the beach. Sora stood with his short flyaway hair blowing astray in the wind, with his small hands behind his back. Kairi finally reached him. "Watcha got?" she asked sweetly. Sora held his little hand out and revealed the small silver diamond ring._

_"For you," he said, his cheeks red with embarrassment. Kairi smiled._

_"It's pertiful," she giggled as she took the ring. "I know, let's bury it! And when we find it again someday, that means that you, uh-ummm, you gots to marry me!" she proclaimed. Sora scratched his head._

_"That's silly Kairi, we're only eight. But... I promise that when we find it again, I'll marry you. Kay?" Kairi nodded as they buried the ring deep in the sand._

_"Let's go swim with Riku!" she said finally. Sora smiled and took her hand. They took off running, their small feet carrying them swiftly across the beach._

Kairi's memory faded. She smiled softly, and held the ring close to her chest. She gazed at the sunset, hoping her little hero would be shooting down from the sky. Suddenly, she collapsed to her knees and began to cry. Her teardrops hit the sand softly. She wanted to run, like Riku had told her, but where? Where could she go? She was stranded on the island and her beloved Sora was falling from her.

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AN - REVIEW! Tell me what you think!


	5. A Blissful Confidence

Disclaimer: I don't own Kingom Hearts.

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Dark Hearts Reign

Chapter FOUR: A Blissful Confidence

Sora sat in silence as Luka explained the plan to him. "Sora, you lead these heartless out to Agrabah. I will lead the rest elsewhere," he explained. Sora just sat back in his chair and rolled his eyes as Luka droned on with his plans. Sora's abnormally large crown fell down over his brown hair as he closed his eyes. "You know that crown would be smaller if you'd listen to me! Sora, you have a great power over the heartless now," he snapped. A mischievous grin crept its way onto Sora's face as he thought of all the evil he could spread to all the worlds. Luka smirked. "That's what I thought." He continued to go over the preparations, until a small figure scrambled into the room, carrying a stack of parchments with him that was bigger than he was.

"Luka! Luka! These are from his majesty!" the figure said in its squeaky voice. Sora glanced at Luka, puzzled.

"How are you letting that annoying little mouse man tie in with this?" Sora demanded questionably.

"Oh, I suppose I'll tell you. Mickey has made agreements that if we release a few of his soldiers, then he'll give us the only map to Hollow Bastion's Castle," Luka answered. Sora thought for a moment. Hollow Bastion. It sounded so oddly familiar. "The three main war fractions we have going on in this battle are Hollow Bastion, another hidden castle, and here, The World That Never Was." Sora sighed, re-adjusting his crown. "Anyway, let's move on. We'd better get this done and over with, we meet the 'annoying little mouse man' in an hour," Luka reminded him. Sora's lip twitched as he slumped down in his chair.

"So... which prisoners does the King want?" he finally asked.

"Oh, just some stupid dog, and a duck with a horrible temper to match," Luka said quickly, wanting to continue. Sora sat up instantly.

"It isn't... no... no way," he stuttered. Luka stared at him strangely.

"Isn't what?" he asked.

"Their names, they wouldn't happen to be Donald and Goofy, would they?" he asked excitedly. Luka rolled his eyes.

"Oh you just suck the life out of everything! Why can't I be the one to know things and then tell you? Why must you know everyone and everything in this universe?" Luka yelped, pacing back and forth quickly. Sora smiled.

"Because I'm Sora," he said. Luka raised an eyebrow at him, dumbfounded.

"You can't possibly believe that's the reason," he said blatantly. Sora shrugged.

"Hey, it works for me," he replied simply. Luka sighed.

"Whatever. Well, when you take the heartless to raid on the fighters of Agrabah, I want you to also find your next companion. He'll have tremendous power over the heartless, and he'll help you exceed to higher limits, once Naminé tweaks things a little that is. His name is Riku. He'll be resistant at first, and he's an extraordinary liar, so don't let yourself believe a word he says. He'll be the one to help you destroy the princess of light. A girl named Kairi." Once again, Sora recognized the names. He knew he'd heard them before, but he had no clue who they were.

"As long as I'm King, I don't really care who we have to step on to get me there," Sora said, causing Luka to chuckle.

"Now there's the right attitude!" the redhead exclaimed.

"Luka! It's time for the meeting," the small squeaky voice piped up from around the door. He nodded and waved the little pathetic creature off.

"Come on. Today, you learn the art of haggling," Luka said with a small laugh. Sora raised an eyebrow as he followed him out of the room.

"Whaddid you mean, 'once Naminé tweaks things a little'?" he asked curiously. Luka paused, and then turned around.

"All in good time my boy... All in good time..." he said, smiling slyly. Sora shuttered at the pure wickedness of it. He'd have to work on that.

"Whatever..." he waved to Roxas, who nodded and followed him.

The gummy ship had been modified again. Naminé and Roxas had explained things on his way to see Luka for the very first time. They'd told him that the ship was changed weekly to confuse the enemies that followed them. This time it was bigger, and heavily armored. When he questioned Luka on it, he'd said they made it look the same each time they visited the Disney Castle.

"So we confuse 'em even more," Roxas added with a wink. Naminé had been waiting patiently at the entrance. She silently fell into step with them, walking on the left side of him, Roxas on the right.

***

"Oh! Is that it?" Sora asked excitedly. Roxas sighed forcefully and shook his head. "What about that?!" he asked, pointing to Atlantica. Roxas shook his head again. He leaned over and whispered in Naminé's ear.

"Why did you have to erase _everything_?" he growled.

"Sorry," she murmured with a giggle.

"Oh! That's gotta be it!" Sora shouted, pointing to Hollow Bastion. Naminé smiled.

"Closest thing you've said yet," she said proudly.

"Don't encourage it! He's just pointing at random worlds and asking!" Roxas yelped.

Sora frowned and said, "Ok then big shot. You tell me where it is and I'll shut up."

"WE'RE NOT THERE YET!" Roxas roared, slapping his forehead. Sora was about to say something, but was cut off when a shoe connected with his head.

"SHUT THE HELL UP BACK THERE!" Luka bellowed from the front of the ship. Sora picked up the shoe and chucked it a Roxas. He dodged it, only to have it ricochet off the wall behind him and nail him in the back of the head. He shrieked and glared at Sora who was smirking. Naminé winced as she watched Sora's crown slide down his bangs and cover his eyes.

"Hey! Where'd everybody go?" he asked, searching around. He stood up awkwardly and started to walk towards the opposite wall. Luka smirked and jerked the steering wheel, causing Sora to slam into the wall. He fell backwards with a loud 'thud'. "Owie," he mumbled, wincing and rubbing his sore butt.

"You idiot," Naminé said, getting up and wrenching the crown off his head. She walked up to the front of the ship.

"I don't think Sora should wear this until it's been fitted. It could be dangerous. Plus, how threatening is he going to be to King Mickey if _that_ happens during the meeting?" Naminé advised, saving Sora from a world of embarrassment. Luka nodded and instructed her to guard it until they returned to the Capitol.

"Thanks," Sora grunted when she returned.

"Heh... You're welcome," she mumbled with a small laugh. Something instantly nagged at the back of his mind. He'd heard that before. That very line. Luka's little speech drifted through his mind. He saw a girl, with red hair, sitting next to him on a tree. Another boy, who looked a little older, and with silver hair smiled at her.

"Thanks," the silver hair boy said. The little girl had smiled goofily and clenched her fist in front of her while she'd laughed.

"Heh... You're welcome," she'd said.

"Sora? Sora?" he snapped back to reality when he heard Naminé calling to him.

"Yeah?" he asked quickly. She smiled and pointed at the Disney Castle. Everyone inside the ship was gone.

"We're here," she said quietly, holding out her hand. He took it and stood up. They stared at each other for a second, then blushed and let go of each other's hands. Roxas stuck his head back through the doorway.

"Hurry up! _Now_!" he snapped. Sora gave him a dirty look, but followed anyway. Naminé sighed, not wanting to move. Finally, she forced the delusional thoughts out of her head and closed the ship door behind her.

***

Luka threw the giant doors open and strolled in. The King looked up from the paperwork he was filing. Queen Minnie stood and left the room swiftly. She attempted a smile at Sora, but failed. They marched up the long narrow strip of red carpet, finally reaching the throne.

"The prisoners have been released; they're waiting outside this room," Luka announced. Sora, Roxas, and Naminé stood behind him. Roxas and Naminé were surveying the room, ready to attack should anything prove to look dangerous. Both appeared to be terrifically vicious and loyal. The doors opened and in walked Donald and Goofy. They were disheveled, but otherwise unharmed. Donald passed Sora with a glare, while Goofy looked utterly confused. The brunet simply glared back. Mickey pulled out the map and handed it to Luka, both eyeing each other warily.

***

"Well, that went well," Luka griped. He waved the trio off and disappeared down a hallway. Roxas turned to Sora and scowled.

"You, me, race, _now_," he said, pointing as he spoke. Naminé giggled and watched them as they ran outside. It wasn't raining, for a first, though the sun wasn't shining either. Roxas grabbed a random skateboard off the corner of the street and gave Sora an expectant look.

"You want _me_ to skateboard?" Sora asked, staring at Roxas apprehensively. He nodded and threw Sora a blue skateboard. Naminé gave him a thumbs up and he sighed. "If I break my arm, I'll kill you in your sleep," he threatened. Roxas just smirked.

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AN - The next chapter is a bonus chapter. It's kind of pointless to the plot development, but someone requested that I do it. Review!


	6. Bonus Chapter

Disclaimer: I don't own Kingdom Hearts.

AN - Ok, someone requested that I do a skateboarding scene with Sora and Roxas a long time ago, and I didn't plan on adding it at first, but I suppose I will. Hehe... enjoy and leave me reviews.

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Dark Hearts Reign

Bonus Chapter: Skateboarding

Sora was nervous, to put it lightly. He'd never even _attempted _to skateboard before. What was he supposed to do? Ride it in the sand? Fat chance. Roxas on the other hand, had one foot on the board and one on the ground, ready to go. Naminé was standing at the end of the road with a whistle in her hand. She marked the finish line.

"Roxas, do I really have to do this?" Sora groaned, trying to balance himself on the board and failing miserably.

"Yeah, you do. Unless you want everyone to know you suck your thumb," Roxas treatened darkly. The brunette's face heated up instantly.

"I DO NOT!" he screamed. The blonde shrugged and gave Naminé the thumbs up. Sora grumbled, and stepped onto the board. A high pitched whistle sounded and Roxas took off, Sora right behind him.

At first he had trouble keeping his balance, and came very close to crashing into trashcans and buildings, but he managed to pick up the pace soon enough. He _was_ a fast learner after all. He began to pass Roxas, causing the blonde to panic. The finish line was fast approaching and Roxas was fighting to keep up with the newbie. Naminé was laughing and waving her hands at them as they flew past, Sora first, Roxas a second later. So naturally the brunette was the first to crash into the sidewalk. He was launched into the air, sailing in slow motion as Roxas jumped the curb and ran face first into the brick wall. Sora landed in a tangled heap of arms and legs, kicking and screaming, both boys frantically trying to free themselves from the other.

Roxas's elbow connected with Sora's forehead, and in an instant, Sora's skateboard connected with Roxas's nose. The result: both boys sword fighting with their boards. Roxas managed to whap Sora upside the head, while Sora ran over his foot. Both boys howled in pain. Naminé sighed and grabbed them both by their ears.

"Will you _stop it_?" she giggled, dragging them both back toward the building.

"He started it!" Sora yelped, pointing at Roxas.

"NO! YOU STARTED IT!" Roxas howled back, pointing at Sora.

"OH _STOP IT_! You're pathetic!" she sighed, pinching extra hard. Both boys screamed in pain. She dragged them all the way back down the street like that, both whining and begging to be let go. Finally, they reached the doors and she released their ears, turning to Roxas.

"Now, no more beating up Sora. Got it?" she asked. Roxas just glared.

"I'm sorry I can't hear you. I've been physically abused in the ear," he said smartly, pointing to his abused body part. She slapped him playfully in the side of the head.

"I'm serious. Now go to bed," she smiled and walked away.

"I can see your lips moving but I can't make out the words. I'm deaf! OH GOD I'M DEAF!" Roxas yelled after her. They could hear faint sounds of her laughter as she disappeared behind the doors.

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AN - Ok, so I used a Billy Madison line. It just fit. Review!


	7. The Reunion

Ok, to my lovely reviewers... what there used to be of them.

kingdomfantasyanime453, Tori the Twilight Keybearer, xsilentshadowsx, AllieReade, Russ Dog, cHeRrYbL0ss0m07. I thank you guys very much.

Now, a few questions that are dying to be answered:

1. I did post this story a few years ago, but I took it down to rewrite it. Overall it's the same, but I've changed the plot around quite nicely I think. I also worked on the grammar and spelling.

2. This story was posted on my old account, which I lost the password to, so I'm reposting it on my new account. This version will be completely revamped, and completed!

3. In this story, COM _has happened_, yes, but Sora doesn't remember any of it. This is _my_ version of what should have happened in KH2.

If you have any more questions or suggestions, _feel free to tell me!_ This story is a tad confusing and I could always use ideas.

Anyway, onto the story!

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Dark Hearts Reign

Chapter FIVE: The Reunion

Kairi's long auburn hair was fluttering in the gentle summer breeze. She smiled at the deep blue water that was receding back into the ocean. She was so intent on staring; she didn't realize the black hole forming at her feet. She began to sink slowly at first; panicking when she finally realized she wasn't standing in sand anymore. Suddenly, the portal opened and she fell through.

***

Riku was sitting on the roof of the tallest building located in the World That Never Was. He was so absorbed in his own thoughts; he didn't see the Nobody appear directly behind him and jerked him back through a portal.

***

Kairi and Riku awoke in a blinding white hallway. _Everything_ was white, including the floor, which collected no footprints of any kind. Even the water dripping from Riku's clothes evaporated instantly. There was a huge double door at the front of the hallway that took up nearly the entire wall. It was sealed shut from the other side. The room was so blinding that they couldn't even see each other even when they were staring directly at them. Both instantly panicked and began searching for a way out, banging on the walls and screaming all the while.

Riku ran at the door to kick it down. He nearly fell flat on his face when he saw the auburn haired girl crying silently in the corner next to the door he was about to pummel. She had her knees tucked up to her chest and her face buried in her arms, which were wrapped around her knees. For some reason, he couldn't help thinking she looked familiar.

He forced himself to calm down and keep a straight face. Walking carefully to the girl, he knelt down in front of her and tapped her lightly on the shoulder. Her head shot up immediately and she let out a strangled yelp. Her hands shot up to shield herself, accidently punching Riku in the face. He reeled back, clutching his nose and cursing under his breath. Her face lit up.

"RIKU!" she exclaimed as she flung her arms around him. He was knocked to the ground, along with the 'hysterical girl who looked very familiar'. "I missed you! I missed you, I missed you, I missed you, I missed you, I missed you!" she repeated hysterically.

"I GET THE PICTURE! YOU MISSED ME!" he shouted, trying to free himself. "Now who the hell _are you_?!" The girl looked crushed.

"Riku... It's me... IT'S ME YOU IDIOT! KAIRI! I'M KAIRI YOU STUPID-HEAD!" she screamed, slapping him as hard as she could.

"Kairi? KAIRI! Whoa... You look so different," he observed, while dodging her slaps.

"Well duh I look different, I'm two years older!" she pointed out.

"Yeah, you're cuter now," he said with a mocking laugh. Kairi opened her mouth to snap back some sarcastic remark, but closed it instantly.

"Urhguh," she grunted in surprise. Suddenly she smacked herself.

"What was that for?" he asked in confusion.

"Nothing!" she yelled defensively, obviously embarrassed about something.

"Whatever," he mumbled_._ He shook his head and regained his train of thought. "How do we get out of here?" he asked, looking around. Kairi's face fell again.

"I dunno, it's too bright to tell," she mumbled, shielding her eyes.

"But it's _so_ clean," someone murmured from behind them. Both looked up in shock. Directly in front of them stood Luka. He was wearing a black cloak, as usual. His dark red hair was styled the same as ever, spiky and long. Despite the fact that he was only twenty looking, he still possessed an incredible evil and ominous, yet powerful, aura. Roxas was wearing an identical black cloak and kept glaring at Riku. Naminé was standing beside him, looking confident and beautiful in her short white dress and her light blue sandals. There was a small silver ring around her finger that glinted beautifully in the light. The way she smiled at nothing in particular made her seem dangerous in a serene sort of way.

Next to her stood none other than Sora himself. He was wearing a modified black cloak with a silver crown for a zipper. He donned an elegant silver ring around his ring finger on his right hand, which was also the hand he held the Oblivion keyblade in, carelessly resting on his shoulder. He was leering darkly, which made his bright blue eyes glint maliciously. His hair was still spiky and the silver crown that circled his head was slightly crooked.

Kairi's heart shattered into a million pieces right then and there. She could tell by the way he glared at them that her beloved Sora hated her with a passion. She wanted to cry, scream, hug him, slap him, _anything _to distract herself from his lifeless eyes that were stripping her down in his mind. She knew what he was doing. She could tell by the way he stared at her that smug little smirk. He was deciding on all the ways he could torture this poor, helpless girl. Would he rape her, beat her, maybe even kill her? Something deep down inside her told her this wasn't really him. He would never stare at her like this.

"Well, the girl's pretty, wouldn't you say?" Luka mumbled, as he circled her, occasionally brushing against her. Roxas had pinned Riku to the wall.

"Definitely... Almost as gorgeous as you, Naminé..." Sora said, laughing slightly. The blonde blushed and fumbled with the hem of her dress.

"Now now, no need to _insult _the girl," Luka said, breathing into Kairi's ear. "She might get angry and you wouldn't want anything to happen to Naminé, now would you?"

"_Never,_" Sora answered, obviously amused. He glanced at Roxas over his shoulder. "Whaddya say buddy? What _should_ we do with her?"

"She's a princess right? I'd say _you _should keep her. You are the king after all," Roxas answered. "It's only right that you should get such an important girl, am I right?"

"King?!" Kairi and Riku blurted at the same time. No one paid them any mind.

"So, do we need Naminé?" Luka asked. Kairi cringed as his hand found its way up her inner thigh.

"No, it'll be more fun to leave things the way they are," Sora said cruelly.

"YOU SON OF A BITCH DON'T YOU DARE LAY A FINGER ON HER! I'LL KILL YOU MYSELF!" Riku yelled, wrenching himself free from Roxas. Instantly, he was pinned to the wall again. Sora had summoned both the Oblivion and Oathkeeper keyblades back to him and dived at Riku with lightning speed. One keyblade pierced each shoulder.

"You'll do _what_?" Sora muttered menacingly. Riku gasped in pain as Sora ripped the keyblades out, showering the ground, and himself, in blood. "_Don't_ threaten _me_," he warned as the keyblades vanished.

"Give it back," Kairi whispered. Every eye in the room darted to her. Luka accidently released her from surprise. Sora's smug look faltered for a fraction of a second, but he regained his composure quickly. "Please... Just give it back," she cried.

"What do you _have_?" Roxas asked uneasily.

"I dunno..." Sora said, staring at Kairi curiously. He scratched the back of his head in thought.

"She wants the keychain, Oathkeeper. I believe it belongs to her," Naminé explained. The young witch walked over to the newly appointed 'king' and reached in his pocket. Their eyes met for a fraction of a second and he thought he felt something slip from the back of his mind. She pulled out a small star made of shells with a smiling face in the center.

"Where did that come from?" Sora asked, feeling confused and left out of the loop.

"I gave it to you. It's my lucky charm. We made a promise on it, remember?" Kairi mumbled. Sora shook his head, disgruntled.

"No, sorry. I don't remember anything," he said. Suddenly, a sharp pain shot through his head as a door unlocked in the farthest corner of his mind. The memory began to play like an old filmstrip; it was slightly fuzzy and grayed.

_"Kairi! Kairi! Remember what you said before? I'm always with you, too. I'll come back to you! I promise!"_

_"I know you will!"_

"_Where is he?"_

_"It's my lucky charm, so remember to bring it back to me, okay?"_

_"Where is he?"_

_"Take care of her..."_

_"Wherever you go, I'm always with you."_

_"Thanks Kairi."_

_"Where is he?"_

_"You're the chosen one, Sora."_

_"Do you remember your promise?"_

_"Where is he!"_

_"His voice, it's left me..."_

_"Riku why are you doing this?"_

_"You keep asking me the same question... 'Where is he?'... Where is who?"_

_"Where's Sora?"_

He opened his eyes to see Kairi staring at him with the same expression as before. Riku was glaring at him with nothing less than pure contempt_._ He was pretty sure the silver haired boy wanted to rip his head off right about now. "Here," Sora mumbled, taking the keychain from Naminé and placing it in her hands. She smiled up at him and closed her fingers around it as tight as she could.

"Thank you," she whispered. Abruptly, Luka vanished and Zexion took his place.

"Roxas _hurry up_! You were supposed to be at the bridge hours ago! We have work to do!" he snapped. Noticing Sora and Naminé, he bowed and sent the blonde girl a smile. "How are you today?" he asked her.

"I'm fine," she replied with a soft smile. "Roxas you can leave, I'm sure we won't have a problem."

"Just don't get yourself hurt," Roxas mumbled as he turned to follow the slightly older boy out of the room. Sora and Naminé watched them go with an amused expression. The door sealed shut again, with an eerie silence.

"They're _still_ fighting over you?" Sora burst out, breaking into an uncontrollable laughing fit.

"Yes. It's getting annoying to tell you the truth," Naminé giggled.

"It's been _months_! You'd think one of them would man up and say something by now," he added.

"Believe me, I know..." she giggled again.

"Where were they supposed to be going?" he asked, suddenly serious.

"The ship needs reverted. The King requested _another_ meeting. This time, there'll be people there. You're in for it now; they've got that Hollow Bastion group backing them now. What's it called?" she asked.

"The Hollow Bastion Restoration Committee. Ha, that's a good one. Hey, you've never been there before have you?" he asked, changing the subject.

"No, not personally, but neither have you," she said, pointing a finger at him and smiling.

"Will you two stop? Riku's dying!" Kairi yelled. They'd forgotten they had company. Naminé ran over to the nearly unconscious silver haired boy and knelt down, soaking her white dress in blood.

"Don't you think you overdid it?" Naminé asked the brunet calmly.

"He deserved it," was all he could think of to say.

"That's really childish. C'mere and rip this for me," she directed. He walked over and kneeled next to her, ripping an inch wide strip off the bottom of her dress. He tried to hand it to her, but she told him to tie her hair back with it. He blushed and did as he was told. She removed Riku's yellow jacket and the shirt underneath and folded them, then instructed Kairi to press one firmly against the right wound while she tended to the left. Sora opened a portal and they heaved Riku through it.

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AN - REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW!!! I won't post the next chapter until I get 2 more reviews!


	8. Hope Reborn

Disclaimer: I don't own Kingdom Hearts.

* * *

Dark Hearts Reign

Chapter SIX: Hope Reborn

Riku awoke only to find Kairi sitting in a chair next to him. She was wearing a black cloak, just like Sora's. In fact, it _was _Sora's. Naminé's dress was being repaired and an enhanced version was being made for Kairi, along with identical white sandals. He tried to sit up, but screamed in pain and fell back onto the bed. Kairi's eyes shot open and she let out a long yawn.

"Riku you're awake! You'll never believe what happened! Sora's a King now! I still can't tell what he's the King _of_, but I know he's a King! But he doesn't seem to remember me, or anyone for that matter. He only knows the people here," she explained in a hurry.

"He's not a _King_. Not exactly," Roxas chimed in from the doorway.

"He's the Ruler of the Realm of Darkness," Naminé added, stepping out from behind him.

"It's like a step up from king," Roxas alleged.

"You brainwashed him," Riku accused, his glare intensifying tenfold.

"No no no. We temporarily _hid_ his memories," Naminé explained, using air quotes.

"You stupid wench, put 'em back then!" Riku shouted.

"Shut up, asshole!" Roxas retorted. "She could have erased them completely, but she didn't! She'd be killed on the spot if Luke found out. So keep your damn mouth _shut,_" he hissed. Riku was about to snap back but stopped himself just as Sora walked in, followed by Zexion.

"Damn it Roxas you're late. _Again_," Zexion said, obviously irritated. Roxas sighed and waved goodbye to Sora and Naminé before disappearing through the doorway.

"Kairi, the dress you wanted is finished," Sora mumbled. Kairi blushed, stood, and walked over to him, taking the package and walking into the adjoining bathroom to change. He then directed his attention at Riku, and threw one of Zexion's cloaks at him. "When you get better, just wear that," he mumbled then sat next to Naminé. Ten minutes later, Kairi's head peaked around through the doorway.

"Naminé? C'mere for a second," she said, then shut the door behind her. The blonde witch stood and followed, quietly shutting the door behind her. The clock ticked away, and four minutes later Kairi emerged from the doorway, wearing an elegant white dress. The front resembled Naminé's, almost identically. Kairi's was slightly longer and the straps tied around her neck. In the back, there was a 'v' shaped spilt that reached down to her lower back and was required to be laced together. The top part of the dress was skin tight. Her sandals were white and matched Naminé's. On top of her head was a small silver tiara. Sora blushed as soon as she walked out. He made up an excuse and left the room quickly. She watched him leave in silence.

***

"Sora don't dawdle! We have work to do!" Luka said. The burnet turned to face him. His bright blue eyes stared at Luka haughtily.

"Not now," he muttered. Luka rolled his eyes, and smoothed his cloak.

"Very well," he snapped, then vanished again. Sora turned to face the ocean, and realized where he was. A dreary grey world in which he had imprisoned himself. He pulled his hood back slowly, as if to get a better view of the lifeless water. He didn't notice Naminé approach him until it was too late.

"You're here _again_?" she asked, smiling softly. Sora nodded, choosing to remain silent. "This reminds you of your home, doesn't it? Your _real_ home." He turned his head and stared at her, slightly unsure of what to do. "I brought them here for you. I restored your memories. Luka's furious with me for it, but I couldn't let you go through with the plan. I could have erased Riku's memory too, let you kill Kairi. But I knew that that wasn't the right thing to do at the moment. You remember the promise we made right? When you leave, will you still take me with you?" she asked, toying with the ring on her finger. Sora didn't even pause to think. He couldn't imagine life without her.

"Of course," he said quietly, turning to stare back at the ocean. A few minutes passed, and he could tell she was staring at him. Suddenly, he caught a slight movement from the corner of his eye as she wrapped her slender arms around his waist. She was standing behind him now. Her chin rested on his shoulder, gazing at the ocean. "Naminé," he began, but she tightened her hold on him. He clamped his mouth shut.

"I know this'll be hard on you Sora, but you have to act like nothing's changed. Your memories aren't fully restored yet, but it's still enough to cause serious problems. Kairi, Riku, Roxas, Zexion, Donald, Goofy, Luka… You can't let anyone know what we just talked about," she whispered.

"He loves you," Sora blurted suddenly. Naminé sent the back of his head a confused glance.

"Who? Luka?" she asked in shock.

"Roxas. If he saw you right now, he'd kill me," he explained.

"Oh," she whispered, letting go of him. Her blue eyes sank to the sand. "I'll-see-you-tomorrow," she said a little too quickly, and ran the opposite direction. He didn't watch her leave. Instead, he collapsed to the ground and propped himself up with his hands. He rolled over on his back and stared up at the starry sky. A few minutes later, he was interrupted again.

"Sora?" a voice asked, from only a few feet away. He cursed himself for letting everyone sneak up on him today. He tilted his head upward to see who was calling for him. Kairi was standing a few feet away. He just lay there, staring up at her awkwardly upside down. "Um, can I sit here?" she asked delicately. He paused for a moment then nodded. She smiled slightly and sat next to him. After a few minutes, he got uncomfortable, and sat up. "It's just like old times, sitting on the beach together. Oh Sora I wish you could remember it. The Destiny Islands were, no, _are_ amazing. Your home, my home... We _belong_ there, _together_. Don't you feel it?" she whispered.

All of a sudden, the light ocean breeze returned. It had been months since he'd felt it last. Sora smiled genuinely, and turned to face Kairi. "Yeah... I do," he mumbled. She blushed and looked away. He gave her a funny look.

"What?" he asked.

"You're gorgeous," she blurted. Sora smiled gently, and kissed her forehead.

"You're beautiful," he retorted. Kairi couldn't fight it anymore. She'd finally found him. The tears fell freely as she buried her head into his shoulder.

"You do remember, it don't you?" she asked nervously, between gulps of air.

"A little. There's still blank parts; some are a little unclear," he said sweetly, trying to calm her down. She groaned and pushed herself away from him.

"You're a King now," she reminded him. "You can't flirt with a princess." Sora frowned.

"I'm_ not _a King! I told you! It's the 'Ruler..." Kairi beat him to it.

"'The Ruler of the Realm of Darkness', I know. Exactly my point. You're like, the Overlord of _Evil_. I'm the Princess of Heart. I'm good, you're not. Things like this don't work. You _know_ that," she reminded him. "Plus, you're engaged to _her_ now, right?" Sora's head shot up in shock.

"Who? Naminé? No! I'm not engaged to _anyone_. Why would you think that?" he asked defensively, waving his hands in front of his face..

"The rings," she explained, picking up his left hand. Sora's eyes followed hers to the small silver ring that he wore on his finger. He couldn't help but smile.

"Kai, that's not an engagement ring. It's a charm. Kind of like that keychain," he said, fingering the small Oathkeeper shell charm that was chained to one of the belts she wore.

"It's good luck?" she asked doubtfully.

"No, not _that_ kind of charm," he said, scratching the back of his head. "Naminé just gave it to me a few days ago. Before you and Riku showed up. I forgot her once; apparently she thought the rings would prevent that from happening again," he lied.

"Oh, I see," she mumbled. There was a slight hint of aggravation in her voice, which confused him.

"Kai, what's wrong?" he asked, leaning back to prop himself up on his elbows. She glanced at him from the corner of her eye, sighing nervously.

"Nothing!" she spluttered. He frowned slightly. Kairi was just about to get up to leave when she felt his fingers brush across hers.

"You're lying," he said, staring out at the water.

"Am not!" she yelped defensively, snatching her hand back and standing quickly.

"Yes you are," Sora grumbled, standing too. "Kai…" She glanced back at him and smiled. Suddenly, before he could think, she'd kissed his cheek and turned to run away.

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AN - I'm putting all of my free time into my newest Naruto story, so this one will be put on hold for a while. I really apologize for the delay!


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